CiCM 25th June 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

China Maintains Steady Decrease in Drug-Related Crimes: The Supreme People’s Procuratorate has approved the arrest of over 61,000 people and the prosecution of over 65,000 people for drug-related crimes between January and May of 2024. According to Li Ruiyi, the President of the Fifth Criminal Tribunal of the Supreme People’s Court, these numbers show a significant decrease in drug crimes compared to their peak in 2015, though the Procuratorate attests that various social factors complicate the Chinese drug scene further. The use of the internet to order and deal substances and the increased involvement of minors in drug-related crimes a significant issue on the radar of the drug fighting institutions of the government. The National Immigration Administration additionally released statistics showcasing their progress in halting foreign drugs from entering China. The management agencies, including the Customs Anti-Smuggling Bureau of various regions, have seized 284 drug cases involving 381 people and approximately 4.5 tons of various substances from border regions and ports around the country between January and May. In response to the work done by the customs officers, the National Immigration Administration has confirmed that immigration management agencies will continue to conduct in-depth inquiries into the drug-related crime groups, methods and circumstances to cut off the international source of drugs.
China Holds the Summer Davos to Discuss Economy: The opening session of the 15^th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos was held in Dalian. The theme of the forum is “Next Frontiers for Growth” and it has historically been a means by which Chinese leaders connect with investors to discuss the country’s economic status. Chinese Premier Li Qiang addressed the audience in an opening speech, sharing his analysis of the Chinese and Global economy. The stagnation of the global economy was attributed to deep-rooted problems alongside more temporary ones like the pandemic and rising debts. His speech included a call for countries to follow China in encouraging technological and scientific development, describing China as fertile grounds where innovations can flourish. His speech additionally condemned countries from acting in their own self-interest at the expense of others criticising trade protectionism amid China’s conflict with the EU and US over electric vehicle trade and production. Li emphasised the importance of collaboration and mutual benefit in maintaining global trade operations. The forum included speeches by several key speakers, including China’s special envoy for climate change, Liu Zhenmin who similarly rejected the claims made by the US and EU that China’s production was facing “overcapacity”.
China’s Chang’e Probe Returns with Samples from the Moon: China’s Chang’e-6 has safely returned to the Siziwang Banner region of Inner Mongolia, concluding the 53-day mission to the far side of the moon. Xi Jinping congratulated to crew involved in the project’s development and described the success as a major achievement as a result of significant development in lunar research with positive implications in the future of the study. The probe successfully landed within the Moon’s Apollo crater at the edge of a melting zone after its launch on 3^rd May. Researchers hope the samples brought back include impact melt materials from the lunar mantle formed from the collision of smaller celestial bodies with the moons surface to aid in understanding the evolution of the moon and the role of meteorite impacts in forming it. The probe is an innovation in lunar studies and the first successful mission to the far side of the moon as opposed to the near side which has been studied previously. The samples are expected to contribute to the study of the two sides of the moon, in hopes of providing answers as to why and how the two differ. According to the China National Space Administration, the recovered probe will be transferred to Beijing where the samples will be extracted and handed to researchers for storage and analysis.
China Begins Deliberation to Amend Border Health and Quarantine Laws: The 14^th National People’s Congress (NPC) held its 10^th session on the 25^th June 2024 at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing. The meeting was presided over by the chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, Zhao Leji. The meeting’s agenda included the review of new draft laws as well as the significant goal of revising the frontier health and quarantine law, which was first implemented in 1987. The law aimed to prevent the spread of infectious disease in or out of China through quarantine, careful monitoring of foreign ships and vehicles, and disinfection of items by the frontier health and quarantine office. The amendments aim to improve measures to reduce cross-border transmission of infectious diseases through establishing the responsibility of customs authorities, calling for the General Administration of Customs to optimize processes to reduce risks. Under the draft, personnel entering and exiting border areas will be expected to undergo temperature checks and medical inspections under the authority of customs officers, and further tests may be administered based on the results of the preliminary checks. The draft standardises the subject of quarantine and transfer of infectious diseases at the border to better monitor the situation.
Seventeen Chinese Nationals Killed in South Korean Battery Factory Fire: Amidst an ongoing investigation, 23 people have been declared dead due to a fire at a Battery factory in Hwaseong city, South Korea which started on the 24^th of June. Of the deceased, 17 are thought to be Chinese nationals, with several more left injured following the explosion of several cells in a warehouse which contained over 35,000 units. The factory’s workers were largely middle aged Chinese women, many of whom later claimed that they were not trained in workplace fire procedures despite the commonly known risks associated with cell production. . The incident has raised concerns for the overseas Chinese population and whether appropriate measures are taken to protect their interests. South Korea’s high-tech sectors have responded with examinations into workplace safety and development. Chinese media argues that the issue had been left unaddressed, given that victims were not trained in fire safety and the Hwaseong factories have been subject to similar incidents on a smaller scale before. The Chinese ambassador to South Korea, Xing Haiming responded to the incident with a visit to the scene and assured media that the embassy will work with local authorities to deal with the aftermath of the tragedy. The embassy and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has additionally urged South Korean officials to handle the situations carefully to determine the cause of the accident, provide support to victims and their families and to ensure the safety of the Chinese citizens who contribute to the workforce of South Korea’s factories

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Journal Article Sparks Online Discussion on Celebrities and Academic Writing: The topic of celebrities in academia has been the subject of much discussion on Chinese social media site Weibo. Netizens found that popular Chinese actress Yang Mi was credited for publishing an article in the Chinese academic journal, “China Radio and Television Journal”, as part of the communication column of its sixth issue of 2024. Yang is a renowned actress and a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy’s Performance Department who made her debut in 2003 and has been the recipient of several awards since. Her article discusses the creative habits of actors, taking her newest series, “In the Name of the Brother”, also known as “Harbin 1944” as an example case. Given the high-profile nature of the author, the article stirred up much discussion as netizens both praised and questioned her work and its originality. The authenticity of the article was proven as netizens noticed a low plagiarism rate for the paper and pointed out that since the work was written from her own personal experience, it is guaranteed to be original. Furthermore, the article was published in a section of the journal dedicated to experience and communication, rather than academic research like most netizens immediately assumed. The incident prompted netizens to discuss whether academic research and the work of the actress need to be so stringently separate, and praised Yang for going above and beyond, proving her passion for her art.

INDIA WATCH

China Reports on Tamil Nadu Alcohol Tragedy: The recent tragedy of the Tamil Nadu liquor incident has been reported by China Daily. The incident was the result of illicit liquor trade and consumption which has been a pertinent issue in India. This particular incident took place in the village of Karunapuram as the victims ingested a bootleg distilled alcoholic drink. The individuals involved in the liquor’s production and sale have been arrested as the deaths were attributed to a high methanol content in the drinks. China Daily first reported on the incident on June 21st, following official reports of a death count of approximately 37 people, publicised by NDTV. Citing official reports from June 24, the update article states that the death toll has risen to 58 people with over 150 continuing to undergo treatment, including 5 women. The article states that a former high court judge has been assigned the responsibility of exercising a formal inquiry into the incident, and the complex politics of the Tamil Nadu liquor issue were briefly noted but was not the main focus of the writer. The two articles published on the incident conclude similarly, generalising that alcohol related deaths are common in India given a culture of drinking bootleg liquor.

Prepared By

Aditi Dash

Aditi Dash is an undergraduate student of Literary and Cultural Studies at FLAME University. Her interests span the academic study of literature and art history, as well as anthropological concepts of culture and social behaviour.